


Love is Timeless

by silentwhisper002



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff So Tooth-Rotting Even The Dentist Can't Save You, Friends to Lovers, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I wrote this instead of homework, Long-Distance Relationship, Romantic Fluff, So Much Fluff You Could Jump Off a Building and You'd Be Fine, Steven is a Mess, The Things I Do For Content, Timelines, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, blacksteelshipping, slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:42:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23704057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentwhisper002/pseuds/silentwhisper002
Summary: "Out of all the stars in the sky," he thought, "there are none that shine as bright as you"He's loved her since childhood and he'll love her foreverBasically a backstory on Steven and Cynthia's relationship. (You know, the ship that should be canon but it's not?)
Relationships: Shirona | Cynthia/Tsuwabuki Daigo | Steven Stone
Comments: 14
Kudos: 38





	Love is Timeless

**Author's Note:**

> The things I fucking do for content of this ship

They first met on a trip to Sinnoh with his father. 

Steven was young then, only the age of seven. They had journeyed to Celestic Town to visit the hospital that was treating his mother. She’d been diagnosed with an unusual kind of cancer, though thankfully, a retired doctor in the neighboring region had offered treatment. 

Steven, being too young to stay home alone, had come with. 

His father sent him outside to play, deciding that he didn’t want such a young child to be put under any kind of stress with what the good doctor might have to say, but promising he’d be able to see his mother later. 

Normally his father was apprehensive to let him alone in an unfamiliar place due to his son’s adventurous nature, but the town was so small, he figured it wouldn’t be hard for him to find his way around. 

Steven was playing quietly with his father’s Castform under the cool shade of a large oak when he first saw her. 

She’d come running up, clutching a Gible close to her chest. 

“Hi!”

Steven glanced upwards, and shied away from the sight looming over him. A young girl, who couldn’t have been any older than him, was standing just a few feet away, leaning down to examine the Castform. Her wild blonde hair fell in a tangled mess down her shoulders, drooping over one eye, and there were dirt stains on her scuffed up jeans. 

“Is that your Pokémon?”

Steven shook his head. “No.” his voice was quiet, still unsure of this newcomer, “It’s my father’s.”

She edged a bit closer, her steely eyes gleaming. “What are you doing all by yourself?”

“My father is visiting my mother and he didn’t want me in the doctor’s way.” He answered.

“Is she not feeling well? I had the flu once and felt real nasty, does your mommy have the flu too?”

Steven shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe.”

The girl seemed to take his conversation as an invitation, and took the spot next to him, placing her Pokémon in her lap. “I’m sure she’ll be all better soon.”

Steven looked at her, his blue eyes wide. “You really think so?”

“Yep!” She gave a proud nod. “I know so! I know _everything_!”

He giggled. She was funny. There was no way someone as young as they were could know _everything_.

“What are you playing?” She really _was_ full of questions.

“I was just looking at the rocks.”

“Can I play too?”

“I guess.” His shyness from earlier began to ebb away.

“My name’s Cynthia by the way, and this is Gible! She’s my best friend!”

“I’m Steven.”

“Hi Steven! It’s nice to meet ya!”

Steven and Cynthia spent the rest of the afternoon building little structures with rocks and pretending to hunt for treasure, until Steven’s father came to collect him.

“And who’s this?” His father asked when he saw his son’s new friend. 

“I'm Cynthia!” She responded with a smile.

Steven decided that he’d never seen anything more beautiful.

* * *

The next time they’d seen each other wasn’t until years later. 

They’d kept in touch after that fateful meeting under the oak tree, writing back and forth. He’d even gone out to Celestic Town a few more times, spending all his time with Cynthia while his father consulted with the doctor. 

But when they both came of age to go on a journey, the letters stopped. 

He’d still wondered about her of course. After all, she had been one of his first friends. Multiple times he’d tried to find her, but always came up short. 

As time went on, Steven pushed Cynthia to the back of his mind, focusing instead on his training. 

Eventually, he’d picked up a hobby for rock hunting, and had decided to take some time off his gym challenge to explore the caves his region had to offer. 

He’d often be gone for weeks at a time, much to the dismay of his friends, and after the cancer finally stole his mother away, people almost never saw him anymore. 

Then, at the age of fifteen, he’d caught word of some ruins in Sinnoh that had just been discovered, close to Mt. Coronet. 

Steven made it his next destination. 

Saying goodbye to his father and friends, having to practically tear himself away from Wallace (the boy was so clingy), Steven gathered the few things he’d need for the trip, and set off in hopes of discovering some rare stones. 

Never in a million years, did he think he’d see her again. 

Steven had been digging around in a shadowy area, along with his Aron, completely unaware of a rather hostile Gengar creeping up behind him. 

It wasn’t until the little Pokémon gave a cry of warning that he finally turned around, but was a moment too late. 

The large beast lunged at them, and Steven instinctively threw himself over his partner, bracing his body for the blow. 

But it never came.

“Garchomp! Dragon Rush!”

A blur of blue and red whizzed past his vision, barreling into the Shadow Pokémon.

The Gengar stood, barking in anger, but Garchomp's growl seemed to give it the message, as it slowly backed away before disappearing further into the ruins. 

“Are you okay?” A frantic voice closed in behind him. 

‘“Fine,” He responded, his attention still focused on his trembling, yet thankfully unharmed Pokémon. 

He looked up to thank the kind trainer who’d helped them, and froze at what he saw.

She looked different since the last time they’d met. She had grown much taller, and her hair was longer, falling now to her waist instead of her shoulders. Her figure had slimmed out, her face lost of all it’s baby fat. But her eyes still held the same sparkle. There was no doubt in his mind who it was. 

“Cynthia?”

“ _Steven?”_

He recalled Aron back to it’s Pokéball, and stood up, brushing himself off.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

There was a bit of an awkward silence that hung in the air, before Steven finally spoke again. 

“Thanks..for that.”

“Yeah, sure.”

He glanced around, unsure of what else to say. “So…uh…how’ve you been?”

“Good. I’ve started my journey, been doing the gym challenge. Gible evolved too.”

“I noticed. Thanks to you too.” He nodded in gratitude at the large dragon. She simply grunted in response.

“What about you?”

“I’ve been okay. I’m doing the gym challenge too, back home. I decided to take a break though and do a little bit of exploring.” 

“That sounds like you.” She gently punched him in the shoulder. The conversation felt less tense now. “And how are your parents? Is your mom any better?”

He fell quiet at the mention of his mother. “She…passed.”

“Oh my Arceus, I’m so sorry.” Cynthia grabbed him into a hug. 

“It's okay.” He mumbled, “She’s not in pain anymore.”

“Still, that’s awful to hear.” 

She pulled away, and her face brightened with that look she always got whenever an idea came to mind. 

“Hey, since you’re here, why don’t we go for lunch or something? I’d love to catch up! It's been too long!”

“Sure. I could use some food. I’ve been out here since six this morning.”

“You’re so weird.” Cynthia rolled her eyes and gave him a playful smile that sent butterflies fluttering through his body.

Needless to say, he spent the rest of the afternoon realizing he was head over heels for this girl.

* * *

They wouldn’t meet again until her Champion ceremony, although this time, they’d been successful in keeping up with each other’s lives. The two talked almost every day since his run-in with the Gengar, and when the girl of his dreams called him up on a Friday afternoon, begging him to be there, he couldn’t refuse. 

Cynthia was waiting for him at the airport, balancing on her toes, straining her gaze over the sea of people, trying to pick him out of the crowd. 

Her silver eyes lit up when they landed on his face, and Steven had the wind knocked out of him as she practically attacked the Hoenn Champion with a bone-crushing hug.

“You came.” Her voice was a whisper that sent shivers up his spine.

“Of course,” he answered, amusement in his voice, “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

Her response was bright laughter, but the slight distance in her eyes told a different story. 

Had she genuinely thought he wouldn’t be there? Steven made a mental note to ask about it later. 

Cynthia helped him settle in at the hotel, before having to scramble back to the league in order to be on time for her own ceremony. He’d shaken his head at her frantic farewell, promising that it was fine, and he’d see her after. 

She’d pressed a kiss to his cheek, telling him he was the absolute best before disappearing out the door. 

Steven had to take a moment to make sure he was still alive.

***

“And I now present you with the Sinnoh Region’s Newest Champion: Cynthia!” The MC grabbed her hand and held it high, Cynthia grinning like an idiot beside him. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and he flashed her a thumbs up from the stands, letting her know he was proud of her achievement. 

Once the daylight had finally fallen, and celebrations concluded, Steven and Cynthia had gone back to her hometown. They lay on their backs, under that same old oak tree, gazing at the sky. 

Steven listened intently while Cynthia chattered on and on about how much she loved the stars, pointing out planets and constellations, telling him the stories they contained. 

While he was genuinely interested in what she had to say, his eyes had taken more of a liking to studying her beauty, heightened by the pale moon’s glow.   
Her long golden hair was fanned out underneath her, her stone colored eyes glittering with the reflecting light. 

_“Out of all the stars in the sky,”_ he thought, _“there are none more beautiful than you.”_

“Seriously though,” He came back to Earth when she changed the topic. “Thank you, for being there today, and just for always being there in general. I know I’m not the easiest to deal with.”

“Why didn’t you think I would come?” He finally asked.

Cynthia hid her face, “It’s nothing.”

“Well it can’t be nothing if you thought that I, of all people, would stand you up on a day like this.”

“It’s stupid.”

He nudged her shoulder with his own. “Hey, come on. Nothing you say is stupid. You know _everything_ , remember?”

“Stop,” she groaned, finally coming out of her hiding place, “I was _seven_ okay?”

“So are you going to tell me then, or do we have to play the guessing game where I inevitably win?”

Cynthia shifted to face him, her eyes downcast. “I…I got into an argument with Flint the other day. I was being stubborn I suppose, but still. He kept trying to get me to go to this party, and you know how I hate large gatherings. Eventually I got annoyed and lashed out. I know, I shouldn’t have done it, but he just wouldn’t stop! He said that no one would show up today, because of how cold I am towards everybody. And it made me think, for a moment you know? What if I really am a bad person, and what if no one _did_ come?”

“I don’t think of you like that at all.” He offered, making a mental note to hunt Flint down later and give him a piece of his mind, “I can’t think of any reason as to why he’d say that.”

“I guess it’s ‘cause I’m difficult to love and easy to hate.”

Feeling a twist of pain in his chest at hearing those words, he told her he begged to differ. 

Steven finally worked up the nerve to kiss her that night, in the silence of the moonlight, under the shade of the oak. 

He’d felt her surprise, and pulled away, apologizing profusely, but was ultimately hushed when she yanked him back in. 

* * *

Steven wasn’t sure that love was supposed to hurt this much. 

It was love, it had to be. There was no other word to describe the things he felt for Cynthia. But must it be so painful?

Ever since the night of her crowning ceremony, the two had fallen into a blossoming romance that made Steven feel alive every time it crossed his mind. 

Cynthia was everything he could have ever wanted in a person. She was kind and beautiful in a way like no other, offering advice when he needed it, always lending an ear to listen. She’d never once judged him, even when he’d let his walls come down at his absolute worst. She never failed to make him smile or send sparks through his body every time their eyes met. Her ability to feel every emotion along with him was a marvel to his mind. He was utterly, irrevocably, lost in love with her. 

And that was where the pain came in.

As much as they wanted to forever be by each other’s sides, their Champion duties often kept them apart. 

They still talked everyday, and nothing about their relationship had altered for the worse, but it wasn’t the same as being able to reach out and run his fingers though her soft honey-blonde hair, as she leaned against his shoulder, her breath soft on his skin while she told him that she loved him.

Just the thought of such a scenario sent another pang through his chest, and Steven knew that the longing in his mind would not allow him to sleep tonight.

So, he gazed through his window at the stars in the night sky, wondering if she still looked at them too.

* * *

_“Surely you’re not serious.”_

“I am. Besides, Wallace beat me fair and square. And don’t call me Sherly.”

 _“This is not the time for movie references Steven.”_ He could detect a slight hint of annoyance in Cynthia’s voice. _“I swear to Arceus if you’re toying with me…”_

“Cynthia! Would I ever lie?” He exclaimed.

_“Yes.”_

“Okay, let me rephrase that. Would I ever lie to _you?”_

There was a pause on the other end of the line before she finally answered, _“….no.”_

“Thank you.”

_“So…you really did it then? You’re-you’re not Champion anymore?”_

“Nope.”

_“And you’re coming here? To stay?”_

“Yep.”

_“I love you so fucking much.”_

“I’d be worried if you didn’t. Because that would mean I just traveled three thousand miles for nothing.”

_“What?”_

“Open the door and see.”

_“You’re kidding.”_

“No, I’m not. And also it’s raining really hard out here, so I’d appreciate it if you’d just—“

The line clicked off, leaving him no time to finish his sentence, as the door flew open, and he was attacked by a blonde woman in a black raincoat. 

Slipping on a patch of slick earth, Steven lost his balance, and the pair fell backwards into the muddy grass. 

Not granting him any time to recover, Cynthia kissed him hard.

He wrapped his arms around her soaked form, running a hand down her smooth hair that was now plastered to her back by the rain. 

“Well hello there.” He snorted when she finally allowed him to breath.

“How long were you out here? Its fucking _freezing_.” She retorted teasingly

“Not long.” He shrugged.

“You’re an idiot, you know that?” She punched him in the shoulder.

“I know.”

“But you’re _my_ idiot, and I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
